


The Games We Play

by Aria6



Series: A Coyote's Stories [7]
Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-12
Updated: 2015-02-11
Packaged: 2018-03-11 23:20:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3336539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aria6/pseuds/Aria6
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Author's Note: A guest reviewer asked for a Shunsui mpreg fic. Haha… so anyway, the thought of an 'after war' fic where he was modified didn't grip me. Because why would Szayel do that? There's lots of females around. Then I had this crazy idea and decided to run with it… a continuation of The Games We Play. Enjoy!</p></blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Kyoraku Shunsui woke up slowly from an absolutely wonderful dream.

Yawning, he blinked at the sun. It was almost noon, if he was any judge. Smiling to himself, he remembered the events of the night before. To celebrate Renji's promotion to taichou, they had staged quite a party. He'd deeply enjoyed the food and drink and brought a lovely woman home to play. He sighed as he thought about that, then blinked as he remembered. Oddly enough, she'd preferred the backdoor. And she'd even come prepared with lubricant. He vaguely remembered chestnut hair and a really wonderful, responsive body beneath him. Glancing over he…

Froze as the face beside him registered.

That is not a woman. Absolute shock hit him, followed closely by horror as he looked into the man's face. He recognized it, of course. He could hardly forget Coyote Starrk. Suddenly desperate, he searched over his memories from the previous evening. What had happened to get him in this position? His memories were very hazy but he could mostly recall the absolute conviction that he'd been picking up a woman.

"How drunk was I?" He breathed before forcing himself up. He needed to get out of here before Starrk woke up. He stumbled out, completely missing the rumpled kimono that Starrk was sleeping on.

He would remember it later, of course. But by then it would be too late.

Starrk wake up in the morning and reached over, trying to find the warmth he expected to be there.

He was vaguely disappointed not to find it. Disappointed, but not surprised. He'd been quite surprised when Kyoraku Shunsui came onto him so strongly the night before. He'd realized, before too long, that the shinigami was actually drunk out of his mind and had somehow mistaken the arrancar for a willing female. Something he was not above taking advantage of. Even now, his vast reiryoku had some terrible disadvantages. Mainly, a certain lack of sexual partners. He required at least a taichou and the two females were not remotely interested. Normally, he would have just moved on to the males but that posed some problems.

Soul Society had some very strange attitudes about things. Grimmjow had been taken in first and had warned him about it. Rather than replicate the Sexta's mistakes, Starrk had learned that shinigami typically took sexual come-ons between the same gender poorly. Apparently, there was some taboo about openly doing such things.

So he wasn't too surprised to find that Shunsui had abandoned him as soon as he'd awoken. Starrk was quite pleased, however, to see the kimono. He rested his face in it, just enjoying the scent. If all the truth were being told, he'd thought Shunsui was attractive the first time they had fought. For a hollow, a hard fight could be a sexual turn on and Kyoraku had certainly given him that.

Sitting up, he picked up the kimono and gazed at it thoughtfully. Did he really care what anyone thought of him? No, not really. And he had Shunsui exactly where he wanted him. A wicked little smile curled his lips and if he'd been in the room Kyoraku would probably have been sweating buckets.

"Do you think so Lilinette?" Starrk asked, not expecting or receiving any kind of answer. His other half was gone, but not entirely. In a bid for survival, her power had completely returned to him. That meant their personalities had partially merged. Starrk didn't sleep as long anymore and he had developed quite a mischievous streak. His current taichou had a few issues with that but Starrk really couldn't care less.

Humming to himself, he hung up the kimono before going to take a shower. He had plans for it.

This was going to be an excellent day.

"Starrk-fukutaichou. Why are you wearing Kyoraku taichou's kimono?" Starrk looked up from his desk to meet the gaze of his taichou.

Renji's promotion had coincided with his own. Really, it was rather absurd keeping an arrancar of his power as a seated officer. But power was not the only consideration and a fukutaichou's duties were really quite extensive. Starrk had needed the time to experience the joys of paperwork. Since he'd adequately mastered a seated officer's duties, it was time to go up in the world.

"It's a trophy, Kuchiki taichou." He said easily as Byakuya just looked at him. It was hard to tell what he was feeling. Starrk really wished his taichou were a bit easier to read, but life was hard sometimes. Starrk just smiled innocently before dipping his quill in his inkpot again.

"A… trophy." Kuchiki said and Starrk nodded, keeping his attention on the reports. "…Please try not to make a mess of the practice grounds."

"Of course not, taichou." Starrk said respectfully although, truthfully, he thought that was a pretty good concern. How likely was a duel when Shunsui realized what his erstwhile paramour was up to? Pretty good. Starrk smiled again, Lilinette's smile, and heard Byakuya sigh ever so slightly. He glanced up to see his taichou taking a seat and completely ignoring him. Humming to himself, Starrk went back to his work. If he worked very diligently he might have the whole stack completed early and then… then it might be time to go take a very public walk with his new fashion accessory.

Ah, this was so much fun!

"Kyoraku taichou, where is your kimono?" Nanao sounded concerned and Shunsui sighed, tilting back his hat.

"I'm afraid I lost it. I have another one on order." He admitted, trying not to think of exactly how he'd lost it. Perhaps he should have swallowed his pride and just asked for it back, but he honestly didn't think he could look Coyote Starrk in the face right now.

"Lost it? That's… strange." Nanao sounded confused and Shunsui grimaced. It was very strange. He'd had kimonos ruined before, of course, but that usually involved some kind of hard battle. And often an element of surprise… Starrk had given him plenty of time to take it off. Then someone ran up, breasts bouncing in a way that made him smile appreciatively.

"Nanao! You'll never guess what – oh. Kyoraku taichou! I'm sorry." Matsumoto went pink as she saw him. That was a touch odd but he didn't think much of it. Then she seized Nanao, dragging her away over her protests and began whispering in her ear. Shunsui watched with an indulgent smile that quickly turned into a small frown as the two women looked at him and giggled. Then they went back to whispering, their heads practically together. This was… very odd…

"Ah, Nanao-chan? I'm going back to work." He called, mildly creeped out by the sight of his fukutaichou engaged in such an un-Nanao-like activity.

"Oh no wait!" Matsumoto was suddenly in his personal space. Something he almost appreciated, but that feeling was wiped out by her next words. "Are you and Starrk-fukutaichou an item now?!" She nearly squealed and he stared.

"I… don't… why would you say that?" He asked, stalling for time. Nanao adjusted her glasses before beaming at him. It was disconcerting, to say the least.

"Well, he IS wearing your kimono this morning." Nanao said and his mouth dropped open.

"He's WHAT?!" That was just… Shunsui did not have words. Didn't the arrancar understand that you didn't FLAUNT this sort of thing? Then Matsumoto nearly squealed.

"You would be so cute together!" She had her hands clasped together and her eyes were full of stars. Shunsui looked at her in complete horror. It was his first encounter with a yaoi fangirl and he was finding it to be a terrifying experience. "He must really like you, wearing it in public like that!"

"Uh, yes." He said weakly while making a mental note to murder Starrk, preferably painfully. "Excuse me, where is he…?" He needed to take care of this NOW. Although it was probably already too late. Nanao was smiling, a very sphinx-like smile.

"He's at the Sixth, in the practice grounds." She said sweetly and he was in shunpo before she even finished. He had to stop this lunatic arrancar from ruining both their reputations!

When he arrived, Starrk was just leaning against the wall. He looked completely innocent and relaxed, as though he didn't have a single care in the world. The pink kimono was flung over his shoulders in precisely the same way Shunsui always wore it. Gritting his teeth, he stalked up to the arrancar, painfully aware of all the glances and whispers they were getting.

"Starrk-fukutaichou. Could I please have my kimono back?" He asked with painful politeness, suppressing the desire to punch his lights out. Maybe the arrancar didn't understand what he was doing… although the wicked little smile on his face said otherwise. So did the twinkle in those calm grey eyes.

"I don't know. What are you offering me for it?" Starrk said calmly and Shunsui's hands tightened into fists. He glared at the man but he seemed entirely unruffled.

"Are you holding my kimono for ransom, Starrk?" He said sternly and that little smile turned into a grin.

"Hmm… yes, I suppose I am. Perhaps you could pay me with a kiss?" The arrancar said lightly and Shunsui felt absolutely appalled. Right in front of everyone?!

"Have you lost your mind?" He dropped his voice, mindful of the watchers. Starrk tilted his head to one side, as if he was thinking about it.

"I don't think so. But then, crazy people usually don't know they're crazy, no?" Starrk said easily, clearly not taking the situation at all seriously. The desire to punch his lights out was growing stronger. "I don't understand why you're so upset. I seem to recall you held Miyaki's scarf hostage for the exact same thing."

"She was a woman, Starrk." He said it slowly, like he was explaining to an idiot. The arrancar flashed him a quick, mischievous grin. For one moment, Shunsui deeply regretted injuring the former Espada so heavily. He'd heard the man's personality had changed since Lilinette had vanished, but this was his first time really seeing it. Or perhaps he hadn't injured the bastard enough. Just a bit more and he wouldn't be having this problem.

"Really? I can't wait to tell Retsu about your double standard." Starrk said and Shunsui choked. That was… creative and very, very nasty. "I'm sure Soi Fon would love to hear about it too, hmm?" Shunsui's lips tightened. Was the arrancar really…?

"Are you threatening me with the Shinigami Women's Association, Starrk?" He asked and the arrancar just shrugged with a small smile. "I'm not kissing you." He said firmly and Starrk just gazed at him for a moment, idly running a hand over a pink kimono sleeve.

"In that case, why not a duel?" He suggested and Shunsui's lips curved into a smile. Right now, he was looking forward to smashing the arrancar. "We're in the practice yard already… but! There would need to be something riding on it." Starrk said and Shunsui felt a stab of uneasiness at the smile on his face. "If you win, you get your kimono back. But if I win… hmm…" Starrk suddenly pushed himself away from the wall, closing the gap between them before speaking softly. "I top you."

"What?!" That was infinitely worse than a kiss. The only positive was that no one else had heard him. Shunsui immediately dropped his voice, mindful of the attention they were getting. "Absolutely not." He'd never, in all his life, submitted to another man that way. Starrk shrugged, stepping back.

"I suppose I'll keep my trophy then." He said with a smile before twirling a little. Shunsui closed his eyes for a moment in mental pain. Was this how some of his girlfriends had felt? Maybe he owed them an apology. "I think the question is… how confident are you in your skill, and how much do you want this back?"

"I am completely confident." Shunsui said evenly, reminded. He'd beaten this man once. He could do it again. "Very well! I accept your wager." He said recklessly, suddenly not caring. He would defeat Starrk and make him eat his arrogant attitude. Starrk laughed and pulled off the kimono, glancing around before tossing it to one of the unseated shinigami in the training yard. He caught it, looking taken aback.

"Take care of that for us." Starrk said before drawing his sword. Then the fight began.

At first they were fighting with nothing but speed and swords. Shunsui was quickly reminded of how fast Starrk could be… the indolent arrancar moved like the wind, when he chose to. And right now, he was motivated. They danced back and forth across the training field as the other shinigami took to the sidelines, watching. Shunsui's eyes narrowed before he released his shikai. He knew it wasn't really fair. Without Lilinette, Starrk could no longer use his guns or wolves. His resurrection was crippled, although it did still exist. With a blaze of power, Starrk assumed his second form. It was quite a bit different, now. Instead of white, it was black, but still mostly styled the same. Instead of guns he held his blue swords. The arrancar had nothing else.

That didn't seem to phase Starrk in the slightest. He attacked with wild abandon and Shunsui had one disadvantage… the arrancar knew his tricks. He couldn't catch him with the shadow game, although he definitely could hit him with spinning top. Starrk managed to catch his sword, although just barely. Their weapons clashed wickedly in front of his face and Shunsui's eyes narrowed as he saw the Espada was smiling. Wasn't he taking this seriously?

They clashed again and again and he could hear the murmurs from the watching shinigami, about their skill and speed. Then Starrk made a fatal error. He stood so his shadow fell over a nearby pole. Shunsui drove his weapon into the shadow –

And something beyond unexpected happened. His eyes went wide and shinigami fainted in droves as Starrk's reiatsu abruptly spiralled absolutely out of control. Birds fell out of the sky, instantly dead and Shunsui felt the moment when his zanpakuto could take no more. He felt Katen Kyokotsu's shock as their power was overwhelmed by that wild reiatsu and instead of coming out the shadow, his sword dug into the dirt. Before he could recover from the shock, Starrk was on him. A few deft blows and he was on his back, a blue sword at his throat.

"Oh. Did I win?" Starrk sounded as surprised as he felt. Shunsui grimaced, not daring to move. The blade was rather close. "…Do you yield?" He asked and Shunsui closed his eyes for a moment. He really had no choice.

"Yes, I yield." The words were bitter on his tongue. Starrk nodded before withdrawing his sword. The expression on his face was… strange. Almost apprehensive? Shunsui glared at him and opened his mouth to –

"Starrk-fukutaichou. What did I saw about the practice yard?" They both looked at that cool voice and Starrk glanced around, taking in all the shinigami collapsed in various, rather uncomfortable positions. Cursing mildly, he resealed his power.

"Ah, I'm sorry Kuchiki taichou. Perhaps we should call for help from the Fourth?" He said in a sheepish tone. Byakuya's eyes narrowed.

"Do that. Immediately." Starrk instantly vanished with the bang of sonido and despite his humiliating, painful defeat, Shunsui smiled. It seemed the arrancar had a healthy dose of dread for his taichou. "Kyoraku taichou, please refrain from this in the future."

"Of course." He said as he stood, wondering how in hell he was going to get out of his wager to Starrk. Maybe he should just get extremely drunk? No. He didn't want to be out of control when the arrancar… Shunsui took a deep breath before turning away.

This wasn't good at all, but he'd made a bet. He would pay the forfeit.

"Here, have a drink." A cup was placed in front of him and Shunsui just looked at it for a moment before picking it up and taking a sip. It was sake, and particularly fine. Looking up, he met grey eyes that contained a surprising amount of concern. "…I didn't think I would actually win." Starrk said as he sat down across from him, sipping his own cup of sake.

"Mmm. I find that difficult to believe, with that trick of yours." He said evenly. He understood now what Starrk had done. It was the brute force method of escaping his shikai… Starrk had overwhelmed Katen Kyokotsu with his own spiritual pressure. Shunsui had never heard of such a thing being done before and really, Starrk was likely the only person who could carry it off. The arrancar chewed on his lip for a moment before shrugging.

"I'd been practicing it with various kido. That was the first time I'd tried it on a zanpakuto. I had no idea if it would work or not." He admitted and Shunsui sighed to himself, gazing into his sake. "…If you don't want to do this, I'll let it go." Starrk offered and Shunsui blinked at him, surprised.

"I made a bet, Starrk-san. I can pay my debts." As uncomfortable and humiliating as it was, he would own up to his own foolishness. Starrk sipped his sake before giving him a crooked smile.

"What's that expression? It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye. I was just playing a game, I didn't think it would come to this." Starrk set his cup down, looking at him seriously. "It's my choice if I want to hold you to that bet or not. I won't insist." He said and Shunsui considered it for a moment. A cowardly part of him was deeply tempted to take the escape he was being offered. He'd never been attracted to men before. But a curious part of him was urging him onward. And a larger part of him was reminding him that he'd never welshed on a bet before. He'd made plenty of stupid dares when he was a boy and he'd never, in all his life, failed to follow through.

"I'll follow through, Starrk." He said firmly before setting his cup aside and standing. "Shall we?" He wanted to get this over with. Starrk regarded him for a moment, frowning, before nodding.

"If that's what you want." The arrancar sounded a bit troubled but Shunsui ignored it as they went to the bedroom. His stomach clenched a bit as he saw the sleeping mat, the plush pillows that Starrk favored. He took a deep breath before working on his clothing, quickly disrobing. Then he glanced up as a bit of light lit the room. Starrk was lighting… candles?

"Trying to create an ambiance?" He asked in mild disbelief. Really, it seemed absurd. "Do you have mood music too?" Starrk looked up from a little orange candle in a matching glass holder, surprised.

"No. I never thought of that. I'll keep that in mind for next time." He said thoughtfully and Shunsui almost choked.

"There isn't going to be a next time, Starrk." He said firmly. The arrancar waved the comment away as he finished with his candles.

"I meant a generic next time…" He said before standing and disrobing, dropping his clothes carelessly on the floor. The candles were set in the walls, completely safe and secure in their holders. Starrk stretched for a moment and Shunsui paused, just looking at him. He'd never been attracted to a man before but a treacherous part of him reminded him of how good that dream had felt. That warm, responsive body clutching him so tightly… he shook his head, pushing away the thought. He would be in that place tonight.

Starrk was in no hurry to get down to it, though. The former Espada took things slowly, seemingly intent on making love, not merely fucking. Shunsui wasn't sure what to make of the kisses. Starrk's lips were warm and he found there didn't seem to be much difference between kissing a man and a woman. It was mildly disturbing but he allowed himself to go with it, reciprocating the attention. And Starrk's hands were on him, exploring… it was becoming quite arousing.

It was even more arousing when Starrk went down, pausing to nuzzle his abdomen before going to something more sensitive. Shunsui gasped, staring up at the ceiling as wet heat enfolded his member. That felt… good. Amazingly, incredibly good. A warm hand encircled his balls as the Coyote sucked him off with practiced skill. Who had he done this to before? Likely the arrancar in Los Noches…

A finger, well coated in lube, teased his opening. Shunsui stiffened a moment before forcing himself to relax. And, truthfully, he'd had a finger up there before. A few of his girlfriends had done that, much the same way Starrk was now. That finger wiggled inside, carefully breaching him as Starrk continued to pleasure him. Shunsui groaned as that finger delicately massaged his prostate, making his breath come shorter. It felt so very good… but then a second finger was added and he winced in discomfort. His body was not accustomed to that. Starrk let him get used to it but just when he was comfortable, the man added a third. Shunsui couldn't help but groan then. That hurt, and not in a good way. Only the sweet suction around his cock was keeping him from pulling away.

It took time, but that pain eventually become bearable. As his body relaxed, though, Starrk released his cock. Shunsui whimpered softly at the loss of that talented mouth, then lifted his head as the other man moved up his body. He swallowed as he felt the brush of Starrk's erection on his stomach and glanced down. He felt a bit faint as he saw the size of it. How was that supposed to fit inside him?

"Shh, relax." Starrk murmured as he moved his legs apart. Shunsui tried to follow the instruction but couldn't help but tense as the Espada began to carefully ease inside. "Ah kami, so tight…" Starrk gasped and Shunsui gritted his teeth as that member pushed past the tight ring of muscle. This didn't feel good at all… "Relax. You need to relax or I'll have to stop… I won't hurt you." Starrk whispered as Shunsui struggled to breathe. The burn of it was painful in a way he'd never felt before. "Shhh. Relax. Let your body get used to it…" Starrk kissed his throat and Shunsui could feel the way the arrancar was trembling. He was sure the man was desperate to take him but restraining himself, trying to give his partner pleasure. Then he slid in a bit further, into his well-lubed insides. Shunsui winced then shuddered as a mouth explored his throat, gently sucking as the arrancar gradually seated himself.

Slowly, the experience got better. Starrk began to move, thrusting shallowly into his loosening body. Shunsui's eyes shot open as his prostate was brushed. He couldn't help the soft moan that escaped as Starrk's hand slowly worked his cock, stroking the flesh in time with every slow, careful thrust into his body.

This is starting to feel good. Shunsui thought in a disconnected way as his prostate was brushed again, almost teasingly. Was that deliberate? Very good… oh kami. His body was adapting, accepting the intrusion. Is it supposed to feel this way? He didn't know what to think. He'd never let another man into his body before…

"Shunsui." Starrk whispered his name and he looked into those grey eyes, seeing a burning need and a deep, passionate desire. "Oh, I have to…" He didn't have to ask what the arrancar meant. The movements of the body against him, inside him, became faster and more firm. Shunsui gasped as his prostate was hit, more fully this time, and the pleasure became more intense.

…sweet kami what is this…? He wrapped his arms around Starrk's shoulders, almost clinging to the man as that organ inside him continued to pleasure him. The strokes to his prostate were coming faster and faster, matching the hand on his cock. That deliciously slick friction made him shudder, his breath coming faster as he reacted instinctively, shoving back against the arrancar. …how is he doing this to me…? His mind was falling into disarray, taken up with the sensations he was experiencing. He was losing control in a way he hadn't for centuries…

"Kami, Shunsui, you feel so good!" Starrk gasped out and Shunsui could see the sweat on his brow, the tiny droplets beading on that fine face. It reminded him of how he'd looked when they fought, but it was so much better to see those grey eyes narrowed with pleasure than the intent to kill. "Oh kami… I…" Starrk buried his face against his throat and Shunsi could feel his breath, the insane heat of the arrancar's body. "Shunsui!"

"Starrk." He hadn't meant to say the other man's name. It just came out, unbidden and full of longing. "Starrk!" He was begging for more, the pleasure coiling so tight in his body he thought he might explode. He just needed a little more… Starrk seemed to understand. The arrancar gasped out something incoherent before rearing back and taking him with a quick, almost violent series of thrusts. Shunsui arched as a thumb dug into his cock, stimulating him unbearably. He suddenly erupted, coating that hand and splattering himself as the intense pleasure filled him, making him cry out. The arrancar came just a moment after him and Shunsui felt the heat inside him, the pulse of that rock hard member.

For a moment, they just lay tangled together, struggling to pull themselves together in the aftermath of pleasure. Starrk rested his forehead against his shoulder and Shunsui looked down as his breathing gradually calmed, seeing that head of dark chestnut hair. Then Starrk lifted his head and their eyes met as the arrancar eased out of him before taking a spot on the cushions beside him.

"Mmm. Will you stay?" Starrk asked, his voice tired and husky. Those grey eyes suddenly seemed very lonely to him and Shunsui smiled. Oddly enough, he didn't feel any unhappiness or resentment. Just a lazy contentedness and a bit of wonder at what they had done.

"I don't think I can move." His legs felt like jelly and his body was registering a few complaints. Nothing too bad, but it was his first time. Starrk looked concerned but Shunsui reached up to stroke his face. "I'm fine." And he'd done something new. After a thousand years, that was a hard thing to say. Starrk yawned and clearly decided to take that at face value.

"Good… so tired…" Starrk muttered before snuggling up and closing his eyes. Shunsui watched him for a moment before closing his eyes.

He was very tired. He'd think about what to do in the morning.

"Kyoraku taichou, why are you wearing a fukutaichou badge?" One of his seated officers, a pleasant little girl, asked innocently. Shunsui glanced down at his arm with a smile.

"It's a trophy." He said and heard Nanao's choked off giggle. The girl looked puzzled.

"A trophy, sir?" She said and he just smiled.

"Mhm." And it was a loss that Starrk would notice soon. Kuchiki Byakuya would not take kindly to his fukutaichou not having it, particularly given that he was an arrancar. "Ah." And there was a very familiar reiatsu approaching. Shunsui just waited patiently for the man to arrive, which didn't take long. Grey eyes raked over him and settled on the badge with amusement.

"Kyoraku taichou. What do I have to do to get my badge back?" He asked and Shunsui smiled at him cheerfully before throwing an arm over his shoulders. Starrk looked a bit surprised at the gesture.

"Why don't you come with me to my office so we can discuss it?" He suggested. He had a plan for Starrk and it involved his desk. The arrancar would look wonderful, bent over it. That would make him late for his duties but he didn't care and rather doubted that Starrk would care much, either. He might care later when Kuchiki reamed him out, but later was later. Starrk went with him with a small laugh and they both ignored the stares and whispers.

When had he ever given a damn about his reputation, anyway? And this was a wonderful game.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: A guest reviewer asked for a Shunsui mpreg fic. Haha… so anyway, the thought of an 'after war' fic where he was modified didn't grip me. Because why would Szayel do that? There's lots of females around. Then I had this crazy idea and decided to run with it… a continuation of The Games We Play. Enjoy!

Someone was definitely going to die today.

If he'd had his preference, that person would have been Kurotsuchi Mayuri. Unfortunately, the scientist was safely ensconced in the deepest depths of the Twelfth, surrounded by every bit of defensive weaponry and technology that his diseased mind could devise. Because he knew exactly how his outraged victim would react when he finally realized the horror that had been perpetrated on him.

Shunsui was enraged but still thinking. And he knew that an assault on the Twelfth would just result in his sad failure and quick imprisonment. While he would no doubt be released fairly quickly, he would completely lose any chance to avenge himself. So now it was time for target number two.

He found that target in the training yard of the Sixth, giving some instruction to some young shinigami. Shunsui muttered a quick couplet, assuming his shikai. The bastard wasn't even going to feel him coming.

"And then you – " Shunsui was almost right. But Coyote Starrk's senses were preternaturally sharp and he heard the whistle of the blade just in time to successfully duck. Then the arrancar moved in a quick sonido… just barely blocking his enraged follow up blows. "Shunsui! What… are you… doing…?" Starrk was already hard pressed and hadn't taken his resurrection.

"Killing you." He said succinctly before continuing his barrage. Starrk's expression was turning from confused to panicked as he realized this was deadly serious. He managed to release his resurrection just before Shunsui could behead him and managed to stop his blow with blue swords instead. Shunsui disengaged to –

Feel his swords clashing against a new set of blades. Starrk was suddenly being sheltered behind Byakuya and Shunsui snarled.

"Get out of the way, Kuchiki!" He had his gaze fixed on the arrancar, who was looking at him wide-eyed. Byakuya didn't get out of the way, but he did snap at his fukutaichou.

"What did you do?" He demanded as he held off his irate fellow taichou. Starrk immediately protested.

"I didn't do anything!" The Espada sounded genuinely terrified, which pleased Shunsui immensely. He was still going to gut the bastard but maybe faster –

Then a very powerful reiatsu hit him and he froze for just a moment. That moment was all that was required for a voice to ring out.

"Hainawa!" Shunsui swore just as a rope of gold hit him. It was a low leveled bakudo spell, but that didn't matter in the hands of a skilled practitioner… and very few were as skill as Unohana Retsu. He fought it with all his might but then a voice spoke in his ear.

"Sumimasen, Kyoraku taichou." Nemu! He tried to evade but couldn't and the needle went into his upper arm, injecting him with some kind of sedative.

"Damn you all! I'm going to… kill you… Coyote… Starrk…" He managed, seeing wide grey eyes just before darkness overcame him.

"What did you do?" Byakuya repeated his earlier question, staring at his fukutaichou. Starrk just looked at him in utter confusion. They both looked as Unohana cleared her throat.

"I assure you, Kuchiki taichou, your fukutaichou is innocent in this incident. The same, alas, cannot be said for Kurotsuchi Mayuri." That made Byakuya's stare harden and Starrk blinked. "However, this is a poor place to discuss this. Could you please meet me at the meeting room in the First in approximately a half-hour?"

"Of course." That meant Yamamoto would be there. "Should I bring Starrk fukutaichou as well?" Byakuya asked and Unohana nodded.

"Yes. He is heavily involved." She said before turning to the unconscious man. Soon they had him on a stretcher, outfitted with more kido restraints. When they were gone Byakuya turned to his fukutaichou. Starrk was looking after them with a bewildered air.

"You have no idea what this is about?" Kuchiki asked, his tone more gentle. Starrk shook his head before biting his lip.

"No. But if Mayuri's involved, this isn't good is it?" He asked and Byakuya shook his head. "I wonder if he gave him something? A drug maybe?" Starrk ran a hand through his hair. "I wonder why he was so upset with me?" He just didn't understand. Byakuya gave the tiniest of shrugs.

"We will find out in a half-hour. Go prepare yourself for an audience with the Soutaichou." He commanded and that got Starrk moving. He went inside to freshen up and Byakuya gave his attention to the other shinigami in the practice yard, who were watching this uncertainly. "Return to your duties." He had no idea what was going on yet.

But very soon, he would find out.

Shunsui came back to consciousness to the prick of a needle.

"I have administered the antidote. He should be fully conscious within a few minutes." Nemu. He grunted as he remembered and struggled to open his eyes. He finally managed it and looked around groggily. His gaze fell on Starrk, sitting on the cushions and sipping some tea. A growl escaped him and his hand twitched towards his weapon –

"Ahem. Kyoraku taichou." Retsu. He cringed a little and let go of his sword like it was hot. "No hostile actions will be permitted here." He took a deep breath and looked towards her, then winced. Yamamoto was there too. His chances of achieving his revenge were about zero.

"Yes, Unohana taichou." He muttered before sitting up properly and looking at the tea in front of him. He wasn't even tempted to touch it. Someone was going to pay for this…

"Kyoraku taichou. Would you please explain why you attempted to murder my fukutaichou in my practice grounds?" Kuchiki demanded but he ignored it, just avoiding his eyes. He wasn't going to say it! Unohana sighed and took control of things.

"There is a great deal to go into. But the short of it is, he is pregnant." She said in a gentle tone and Shunsui's hands clenched. There was a dead silence from everyone around the table.

"…I'm no expert on shinigami biology but I'm pretty sure it doesn't work like that." Starrk said after a moment and Shunsui lifted his gaze to give him a killer glare. The arrancar flinched a bit, which was satisfying. It was hard to tell but Shunsui thought that Byakuya was stunned, behind his mask.

"Kurotsuchi. What has he done?" Yama-jii sounded most displeased. "And why is he not here?" He demanded and Unohana sighed.

"He is hiding, for obvious reasons." She said regretfully and Nemu just stared away. "As for what he has done… apparently, after Aizen's attempt to steal the Soul King's throne he decided to do some research on the properties of royal blood." She said before taking a sip of her tea. "As you know, everyone above fukutaichou level submits to blood and tissue samples. So he had many samples to work with, taken from high nobility." Everyone listened intently, Shunsui included. He'd mostly heard the word 'pregnant' and after verifying it wasn't a joke, had left to kill someone. He hadn't heard an explanation yet. "Royal blood is quite interesting. As the taichou of the Fourth, I was trained to deal with it by one of the Royal healers." She explained and they nodded. "The active form of the Royal blood passes through the female line. A woman will pass it to all her children, but a man will not give it to any of his." That made them exchange glances. "Given that the noble houses mark their descent through the male gender, active Royal blood is quite rare in Soul Society."

"However, there is an inactive version." She continued, her tone a bit regretful. "That is a genetic marker that almost all the noble houses share. It is possible for this marker to be converted to the active version, but it requires outside intervention." She said and Shunsui grit his teeth. He was fairly sure he knew what Mayuri had done to him. "This process would be fatal to anyone with less than an advanced taichou-class reiatsu, which is why Kyoraku taichou was selected. I will spare you the technical details, but Kyoraku taichou now has active Royal blood."

"How can this have led to a pregnancy?" Byakuya asked, which was foremost on all of their minds. Unohana smiled as she explained.

"Theoretically, because of the nature of this genetic legacy, if only a male of the royal line were left alive the royal line would end." She said. "Given how critically important this marker is, there seems to be a special attribute that only activates when a male of the Royal line is not in contact with anyone of the royal lineage. Normally, that would not have been a problem for Shunsui – as a high noble, he undoubtedly knows several people with the active genetic code – but Mayuri's interference caused this genetic legacy to become active." Unohana sounded regretful, now. "He is in the third month of a reiatsu-based pregnancy."

"And I'm still going to kill you for this." Shunsui growled at the arrancar across from him. Starrk looked suitably cowed. Then Unohana cleared her throat.

"However, we have not yet run any tests to determine who the other parent of this child actually is." He stared at her, confused. Starrk was the only man he'd… Unohana smiled at him dangerously. "If you hadn't left so quickly, Kyoraku taichou, we would have explained that in this kind of pregnancy sex is irrelevant. All that matters is reiatsu, and you absorb that from female partners in the act of coitus." She said and his breathing stuttered with horror. Surely she wasn't…? "And while you are engaged with Starrk fukutaichou, rumors indicate that you have not abandoned the female gender. Correct?"

"I… uh…" Shunsui had thought there was nothing worse than being knocked up with another man's child, but he suddenly discovered he was wrong. Having to explain to one of his girlfriends that he was carrying their offspring… no. No! Just the thought made him shudder. Sweet little Kimi or fiery Aiko or even his lovely Nanao-chan… that had just been once! Sweet kami, they'd both been drunk! Unohana read the terror on his face and smiled sympathetically.

"Um, Shunsui? Can you please calm down?" Starrk sounded alarmed. Shunsui glared at him and was about to ask how he was supposed to do THAT when the arrancar continued. "Nemu has another needle…" He looked over his shoulder to see Nemu eyeing him thoughtfully, a syringe in hand. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on calming his breathing. He would not panic. It wasn't that bad. Well, actually, it was VERY bad but he had a grip on it. He was not going to panic.

"In any case, because he is an arrancar, a simple test will determine if Coyote Starrk is the other parent of your child." Unohana said which was a mild relief, anyway. He could find out which horrible scenario he was facing immediately rather than be tortured by waiting. "If it turns out he is not, we will have to resort to more in depth testing to determine which shinigami is the other parent." Shunsui almost whimpered at the thought and actually hoped it belonged to Starrk. At least he felt fine about beating the other man's face in. If it was a woman… how would he TELL them? I'm so sorry Nanao-chan but our one time drunken stand has left me pregnant like a male seahorse… Forcing away that horrible image he sat still while Unohana ran her test. "There is a very weak hollow reiatsu. Coyote Starrk is the sire of this child." She said, which gave him massive relief. He still wanted to kill the bastard, though.

"Can this pregnancy be aborted?" Yamamoto asked, which gave him a moment of hope. He deliberately ignored the horrified look on Starrk's face. He wasn't the one carrying the damned thing! But Unohana shook her head.

"No. This kind of pregnancy is very delicate and the period where it could be safely terminated is past." She said and he swallowed, hard. "Any attempt now would lead to Kyoraku taichou's death via reiatsu bleed."

"You're dead." Shunsui growled at Starrk, who winced. Then Byakuya spoke.

"Kyoraku taichou. I understand your feelings but Starrk fukutaichou is blameless in this instance. You should remind yourself of who is to blame." He said severely and Shunsui grit his teeth. Byakuya wasn't the one who was knocked up! "What shall be done with Kurotsuchi?" He asked and that did redirect his attention. "At the very least, this is gross interference in the performance of another taichou's duties."

"Eh? Performance?" He asked, distracted. From what little he understood this 'pregnancy' would cause no physical signs and not harm his combat strength in any way. Well, a minor drain perhaps but he never used his bankai anyway. It wouldn't be an issue with shikai. Unohana smiled sympathetically before she explained.

"Kuchiki taichou means that you will be entitled to a full five years of parental leave, as the 'maternal' parent." She said and his muscles locked up at the thought. He could… that was so horribly wrong! "It's very unusual for a taichou to be in such condition. I think the last one was…" Her voice started to fade out. Shunsui was vaguely aware that he was panicking, hyperventilating. "Oh dear. He actually lasted longer than I thought he would. Nemu?" He hardly even noticed the prick of the needle.

Then, oblivion.

"He's really not taking this well, is he?" Starrk observed as Shunsui was stretched out on the ground, a pillow put under his head. Byakuya gave him a look like he was an idiot.

"He is a man and he is pregnant. I would say that is an understatement." He said and Starrk looked sadly at the body in front of him. "Would you expect anything else?"

"…No. I suppose not." He said quietly and Byakuya did not miss the sadness in the arrancar. But he had no idea what to do with it, so he ignored it. Turning to Unohana and Yamamoto, they began discussing precisely how to discipline their erring taichou. Only Unohana really noticed Starrk as he knelt beside Shunsui, gently resting a hand on his forehead before seeking out his belly, feeling the growth of reiatsu there.

Shunsui might not want this child, but Starrk had a slightly different opinion.


	3. Chapter 3

Shunsui tried to eat his lunch before stopping with a sigh. Glancing around guiltily, he tossed the small bento box off the roof before settling in to just enjoy the day. It was far too nice out to be cooped up inside doing paperwork.

He was just starting to doze off when his senses registered a familiar and not entirely unwelcome presence. It was slightly unwelcome because it reminded him of his unwanted cargo. But Coyote Starrk had the strangest sixth sense…

"Shunsui. I thought you might like this?" He opened his eyes, pulling his hat away from his face. Starrk was giving him a smile, holding… what?

"What is that?" He asked after a moment of puzzling. The arrancar chuckled softly, taking a seat beside him.

"A corndog. There's a fair going on in the Seireitei and somehow, I knew you would want this." He explained and Shunsui took the item, looking it over dubiously. Then he bit into it and blinked.

"How do you always know?" It was sort of annoying that Starrk could always find what he craved. Somehow, the combination of sweet yet grainy dough and salty meat was precisely what his taste buds desired. At first he'd been tempted to refuse, when the arrancar had brought him things, but it hadn't taken long for him to decide he would just be spiting himself. They were, inevitably, things he truly wanted. Starrk shrugged.

"No idea. Some kind of instinct?" He offered and Shunsui nodded before taking another bite. Although it would be better with – "Mustard?"

"Now that was just uncanny." He muttered, sitting up and taking the mustard packets. The mustard added the perfect touch to the already tasty corndog. Half-closing his eyes he ate slowly, savoring every bite. The corndog was gone all too soon, to his disappointment. But the warm heaviness in his gut was very comforting. "Starrk – oh." The arrancar had slumped down beside him, taking advantage of the pleasant tilt to the roof and the beautiful day for his own nap. Shunsui smiled, just looking at him for a moment. Then he lay down himself, putting the hat back over his eyes.

They could stay here until Byakuya and Nanao caught up with them.

"I am not a woman Starrk." Shunsui said firmly. Starrk glanced him over before smiling, the corners of his eyes crinkling in amusement. They were talking in his office, away from any prying eyes.

"Shunsui, no one with eyes could mistake you for a woman." He said sincerely and Shunsui's glare intensified. The damned arrancar was making a joke! "And you're not listening. I'm proposing that I be the woman in this relationship."

"Aren't you usually?" He said, mostly out of his offended pride. Starrk immediately changed his tactics and gave him puppy eyes. "Stop that!" It was truly disconcerting, how Starrk could look like a sad puppy expecting a kick. Starrk sighed and reached out to take his hand before gazing into his eyes soulfully. It was honestly very difficult to resist.

"Shunsui, I understand why you want to do it this way. I'm sure your clan would give our child a good life." He said huskily and Shunsui swallowed, trying to resist the sexual attraction. Why did the arrancar have to be so handsome at times like this? "But they would never allow me to see it. Please, can't we try this first? I want the chance to be a parent."

"…" Shunsui bit his lip. He did understand where the arrancar was coming from and damn it all, he was weakening. "Have you talked to Byakuya about this?" He asked. The Seireitei had not changed with the times and, to be fair, paternal leave was a very new concept to the Living World. It couldn't be expected to trickle through that quickly.

"And Yamamoto Soutacihou." Starrk said serenely and Shunsui blinked. "Kuchiki taichou is not too happy about the thought of losing me for such a length of time but he admits I'm far more replaceable than you are. The Soutaichou favors it, for the exact same reason."

"Hm." Of course, they didn't know about his original plan. If they had, they might have favored that even more. He'd been thinking he could ask his clan to furnish foster parents for the child. He wasn't ready to be a parent and certainly not like this!

If I'm not ready now, when will I be? A treacherous, inner voice asked and Shunsui ran a hand through his hair. I'm a thousand years old. Isn't it time? Children had been part of his dreams, in a vague sort of way. When he found the right woman to settle down with and share his life with. He just hadn't found her yet. But would he ever? And Starrk was right here and offering. At the most, the time commitment would be twenty years. That was nothing to someone his age.

"I don't know… it might be hard for the child. Everyone will know." He said after a moment and Starrk nodded, his grey eyes dark. "Although they'll also know about the Royal blood." That was the one thing that saved this from being a complete disgrace. His clan was actually happy about the news, to his eternal irritation. But they knew how incredibly powerful his offspring would be and all the blame could be cheerfully pinned square on Mayuri. The fact that the second parent was an arrancar was something they were attempting to ignore. "…I don't know. I have to think about it." But if Starrk really could remain with the child for the entire five years of leave, maybe they could make this work. "Just don't think that I'm a woman." He growled and Starrk smiled at him mischievously.

"I think someone needs a bit of ego stoking." The man said playfully and Shunsui stiffened. He was about to deny any such thing when Starrk snaked his arms around him, rubbing his body against him in an inviting way. "Prove to me what a man you are. Take me right on that desk." The thought was… immensely appealing. Shunsui growled and roughly jerked the arrancar around, doing just what he'd been told. Starrk was face down on the desk, spreading his hands to hold his weight and avoid destroying the papers as Shunsui bent over him, breathing in his ear.

"Believe me, I will." He promised and felt the arrancar shiver under him. He tugged the man's pants down, just barely refraining from ripping the fabric. He suddenly wanted Starrk, wanted the other man so badly it almost hurt. For a very brief moment he realized it was probably the pregnancy, messing with him in a different way. Then he forced the thought into a deep, dark box, never to be opened as he found the lube and proceeded to dominate the arrancar.

He might be doomed to carry the brat but he was damned if he would be the woman in their 'relationship'.

"Hey Kyoraku! How's the l'il starfish doin'?" Hirako Shinji would, in Shunsui's opinion, look much better without his teeth. Unfortunately he knew better than to try it. Leaving aside the fact that they were in a captain's meeting there was the unfortunate possibility that he might lose. Shinji was very nearly his equal.

"As usual, you have your zoological metaphors completely mixed. It really should be a seahorse." Rose said pedantically and Shunsui sighed to himself, glancing up at the ceiling as he begged the almighty for patience. "And seahorse young are called fry. Did you know that seahorses mate for life?" Shunsui choked a bit at that. "And that they – "

"Yeah, yeah, we all know you've got an encyclopedia open under the table." Shinji interrupted before Rose could give them a very long and boring lecture on the habits of seahorses. Rose was not even remotely offended to be cut off. Really, he was used to it. Then Yamamoto walked into the room and they got down to business.

A lot of it was the same usual, boring things they dealt with during peace time. Promotions that required Yamamoto's approval, reports on things they all really didn't need to know… Shunsui considered most of these meetings a waste of time. Fortunately they only happened once a week and when there wasn't something actually important on the table, were typically limited to an hour. This one was no exception. But eventually his turn came.

"I am told you will not be taking parental leave, Kyoraku?" Yamamoto rumbled and Shunsui winced to himself before tackling the situation directly.

"No. Starrk-fukutaichou is requesting paternal leave instead." He said and there were definitely a few raised eyebrows around the table. "Kuchiki taichou has indicated that there will be no problem." Byakuya nodded, confirming that.

"A fukutaichou is far easier to replace than a taichou. He is aware that he may have to go in as a seated officer when he returns to duty. Starrk fukutaichou has indicated this is acceptable." There were nods around the table. No one could keep a fukutaichou spot open for five years and it wasn't fair to make it a temporary replacement. On the very rare occasion a fukutaichou or above went on maternal leave, she typically had to take a slight demotion when she returned. Of course, the woman in question would also be first in line when a new spot opened up.

"That's wonderful news!" Juushiro said and Shunsui couldn't help but smile. His best friend was looking forward to the child more than he was. In fact, he sometimes thought that Juushiro's happiness was part of the reason he'd agreed to Starrk's plan. If the child had been placed with a family in the Kyoraku clan, Juushiro wouldn't have been able to spend much time with him or her. "I'm sure he'll be a wonderful parent." Juushiro said sincerely and Shunsui couldn't help but chuckle.

"Oh, he will. He's very much looking forward to it." Starrk was very enthusiastic, in his quiet way. Shunsui honestly wondered if he knew what he was signing up for. But he did have several younger brothers and sisters, just like Juushiro. He'd never changed a diaper in his life, though. Would Starrk know how to do that? He rather doubted it. But it couldn't be too complicated.

"Excellent. Process the paperwork and I will approve it." Yamamoto said, which settled things. There was no going back now but Shunsui found he really didn't want to. He had always wanted a child someday and shinigami were not fertile at all. Perhaps he shouldn't pass up this chance to be a parent.

It might not come by a second time.

Giving birth was not a painless process.

Shunsui had fancied it would be. After all, it was reiatsu based. Wouldn't the child just… pop out? He'd forgotten that this kind of pregnancy was essentially a last ditch measure to preserver the Royal bloodline. It wasn't meant to happen this way…

That meant that Unohana essentially had to cut the child out, by severing the lines of reiatsu that were feeding it. And, to his surprise, there was a stranger helping her. It turned out he was a healer from the Celestial Realm, specifically come to Soul Society to help him survive the birth. Shunsui was a bit daunted by the prospect. Was this really so dangerous to his life?

No one offered an answer to that and he didn't quite dare to ask. Instead, Shunsui just tried to remain calm as the work on his reiatsu began. He bit his lip as the pain built, his hands clenching into fists.

"This hurts… quite a bit…" He finally rasped out. The two healers didn't say anything, too intent on their work. It was Isane who responded. She was there to provide support and observe but not directly intervene.

"I know taichou. They have to cut through the reiatsu web your body has built. That is not pleasant, but they're almost done." She reassured him and he grunted at a particularly painful twist in his abdomen. "And there is no sign of reiatsu bleed."

"Oh. Good." Shunsui was no healer but he knew that a rip in the aura, causing a reiatsu bleed, was generally fatal to a soul. It wasn't very good for a human either although they could survive it and eventually heal. Souls were more vulnerable to that kind of wound. "Argh!" He sensed the final cut and saw the two healers drawing forth the bundle of reiatsu. It was blindingly powerful and as he watched, entranced, it solidified from pure potential to a physical form. There was a deep breath before the child gave a powerful scream. "Is it…?" He asked, staring as Unohana cradled the infant, who bawled his or her little heart out. There was no wetness or blood, just a dry but very unhappy baby. He had no idea of the sex. This kind of pregnancy did not allow for that.

"You have a girl, Kyoraku taichou." Unohana announced with a smile. The healer from the Royal realm was also smiling, looking at the little girl as her face started to turn red. "Would you like to hold her?"

"I… yes. Please." Exhaustion was setting in but he still held out his arms. He knew how to hold a baby and soon had her cradled close. Somehow, that seemed to calm her and eyes finally opened. They were a soft grey, not the blue usually associated with birth. The shade of her hair matched his own, he noticed. "Kyoraku Amiko." He murmured, running a finger along one tiny cheek. Suddenly he wondered how he could even have considered giving her up. She was so tiny and helpless, so utterly precious. "I… ah…" Now he was tired beyond words. He blinked, struggling to stay awake as the baby gripped him with a surprisingly strong hand. Unohana reached out to gently take her from him.

"You must rest, Kyoraku taichou. We will take her to Starrk-san." She assured him and he nodded, closing his eyes. He just needed to rest them for a moment…

Shunsui fell into sleep without even realizing it.

Shunsui watched Starrk feed little Amiko. She was clutching the bottle in pudgy little hands, sucking like her life depended on it. The formula inside was actually breast milk, collected and stored for such situations. In the Seireitei more scientific methods were rarely used and young mothers routinely made money by selling extra breast milk.

"She is so adorable." Starrk murmured, resting a kiss on that tiny head. Shunsui smiled at the sight, feeling a bit wistful. He needed to go back to work. He'd taken a week off to spend with his daughter but it was time to get back.

"I never imagined I would be so reluctant to leave her." He murmured before sighing softly. This was how it had to be, how it would have been with a woman. He needed to get used to it. Starrk smiled at him, his grey eyes warm and happy.

"You'll see her tonight." He said before hesitating. "Ah… Shunsui?" He cocked an eyebrow at the arrancar's tone. He sounded mildly uncomfortable. "That girl, Kimi. She asked me if I would object to the two of you continuing your liaison." He said and Shunsui blinked in surprise. Although that was the sort of thing Kimi would do. She was a very sweet and considerate young woman. "I told her that we weren't exclusive before this happened and I see no reason to insist on it now." Starrk said quietly and Shunsui frowned at the blank look on the arrancar's face. He honestly couldn't tell what Starrk was feeling. Well, why not confront it directly?

"Does that bother you?" He asked bluntly. There was a pause before Starrk flashed him a quick smile. It was that wonderfully mischievous look that he seemed to get when he was channeling the lost Lilinette.

"Only that I can't join you in a threesome." He said candidly and Shunsui choked at the thought. "It's so annoying. Without Lilinette I can't USE my reiatsu effectively but it's still THERE." He sounded vexed. "She offered to include me, you know." He said and Shunsui stared. Kimi had said that? He would more have expected it from Aiko! Nanao wanted him to stay far, far away, even now that he had a reiatsu shield to prevent more pregnancies. She was quite mortified by her drunken lapse in judgement. "I had to decline due to my spiritual pressure. It's such a damned nuisance."

"Have you thought about wearing a retaining collar?" He asked, suddenly intrigued by the idea. Taking Kimi with Starrk… that would be very interesting. He'd rarely had a threesome with another man but he had done it once, a long time, with Juushiro. They had both been drunk and his best friend's expression in the morning had been priceless. Starrk stared at him, surprised.

"A retaining collar? No, I… oh." He stopped, looking confused for a moment. "In Los Noches that would have been asking for an assassination." He said after a moment and Shunsui winced. "Even as a fukutaichou I wouldn't… but I have no rank now. That might be a good idea. Do you think there could be one strong enough for me?"

"Of course." Shunsui said, mildly surprised that he would doubt it. But Starrk was used to thinking of his power as the black force of doom. "You're not that strong, Starrk." He was about the same level as Yamamoto, perhaps. That was certainly very strong but retaining collars could be made to accommodate that level of reiatsu. "You should go see Kurotsuchi about it." He'd managed to avoid returning to the Maggot's Nest for his misdeeds, although it had been a near thing. He had gotten an official censure and another black mark on his record, along with some other disciplinary action Shunsui was not privy to. That was between Kurotsuchi and Yamamoto. All he really knew was that Mayuri hadn't been happy about it. That was good enough. Starrk winced a little.

"Maybe I'll put that off." He muttered. Shunsui definitely sympathized. How in hell had Mayuri managed to get something inside him to activate his Royal blood, anyway? Kami only knew. Amiko let go of her bottle and Starrk gently burped her over his shoulder. That made quite a mess, but he had a cloth already in place for it. "But you really should get going. You're going to be late." The arrancar reminded him and Shunsui nodded with a small sigh.

"You're right." It was time for him to leave. With a single backward glance, he left the house. The Espada and their young daughter would be there later.

He honestly couldn't wait.


End file.
